When navigating complex chronic illness—especially mold toxicity, Lyme disease, and other chronic infections—you may come across the concept of HLA typing.
It sounds intimidating, but it’s actually a valuable tool for understanding how your immune system tends to behave when triggered into imbalance.
Let's dive into what HLA really is, what it does and doesn't mean for your health, and how I use it clinically to help guide immune recovery.
🧬 What is HLA Typing?
HLA stands for Human Leukocyte Antigen.
Think of it as your body's genetic immune fingerprint—a set of instructions that helps determine how your immune system tends to respond when exposed to infections, toxins, or environmental triggers.
Rather than deciding whether your immune system can recognize a threat, your HLA type shapes the pattern of immune response you are most prone to when provoked.
This can influence things like:
- The pattern of antibodies produced
- The likelihood of molecular mimicry (where the immune system mistakes self-tissue for an invader)
- The type of autoimmune issues or inflammatory reactions that might arise downstream
In short:
👉 Your HLA type doesn’t cause blindness to toxins—it shapes your immune reaction when you encounter them.
⚡ Shoemaker's "Dreaded" HLA Types: What They Say and What They Don't
Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, who pioneered much of the early work on mold-related illness (CIRS), developed a system for interpreting HLA types called the Rosetta Stone.
According to his model:
- Certain HLA types are labeled "dreaded genotypes" (like 4-3-53, 11-3-52B, etc.)
- He proposed that people with these types have an immune "blind spot" when it comes to biotoxins, leading to lifelong illness unless treated.
Where I agree:
Shoemaker was ahead of his time in connecting HLA genetics with chronic inflammatory patterns.
Where I respectfully disagree:
There is no clear scientific evidence that specific HLA types create a true immune blind spot to biotoxins.
Instead, HLA types influence the type of immune dysregulation someone may experience when overwhelmed by infections, toxins, or other stressors.
In my experience, HLA types shape immune response tendencies—not recognition abilities.
With proper treatment of underlying root causes, even patients with "dreaded" HLA types can recover fully.
🧩 How I Use HLA Typing in Practice
I still find HLA testing extremely valuable—but not as a doomsday predictor.
Instead, I use it to help guide immune recovery, especially after the main root causes (toxins, infections, stress dysfunction) have been addressed.
Over time, I've found that different HLA types often correlate with specific immune challenges:
- 4-3-53 type: These patients often respond exceptionally well to Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) after clearing root causes, helping rebalance immune tolerance.
- 15-6-51 and 16-5-51 types: May also benefit from LDN to calm persistent immune overactivity.
- 11-3-52B type: Tends to show exaggerated histamine and mast cell responses, leading to symptoms like allergies, skin sensitivity, joint hypermobility, and even secondary Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) patterns.
- 1-5 type: Often correlates with hormone dysregulation, especially involving adrenal and thyroid imbalances when the immune system is inflamed.
Knowing a patient's HLA type helps me tailor strategies to optimize immune modulation, not just chase symptoms.
Important:
I never recommend immune modulation (like LDN) until after the triggering infections, biotoxins, and stress responses are stabilized.
Otherwise, it’s like trying to calm a fire while gasoline is still pouring on it.
📝 Final Thoughts
Your HLA type is not a life sentence.
It’s a clue—a tool for understanding how your immune system might behave under pressure, and how we can best support it.
Understanding your HLA type can:
- Help explain why your healing journey may be unique
- Guide immune modulation strategies once root causes are cleared
- Highlight vulnerabilities to things like autoimmunity, histamine excess, or hormone disruption—so we can address them proactively
But it should never be used to tell you that you're broken, defective, or beyond healing.
With the right strategy—clearing triggers first, then gently rebalancing the immune system—you can achieve deep, lasting recovery, no matter what your HLA type says.
Root Cause Healing: Where Real Recovery Begins